Press
Madison Opera - Romeo and Juliet
"Philip Skinner as a powerful Lord Capulet." - The Well-Tempered Ear, Nov 11, 2016
"The Capulets, led by resounding baritone Philip Skinner..." - The Capital Times, Nov 6, 2016
Livermore Valley Opera - The Flying Dutchman
"Philip Skinner brought robust vocal tone and tragic grandeur to the title role, not just in the great opening monologue..., but throughout the rest of the opera as well." - SF Chronicle, Sept 27, 2016
"Noted baritone, Philip Skinner as the Dutchman, is a towering figure with a dark, opaque, and commanding Wagnerian heldenbaritone voice." - for all Events, Sept 26, 2016
"With his first entrance, looking appropriately enigmatic and singing "Die Frist ist um," ...Skinner's sturdy, resounding voice filled the hall, and he sang with unflagging stamina throughout the evening." - SJ Mercury News, Sept 26, 2016
West Edge Opera - Cunning Little Vixen
"For my taste, the vocal hero of the evening was Philip Skinner, who gave a dignified performance as the vixen's human captor, and whose seasoned baritone voice reached meltingly beautiful heights." - Peninsula Reviews, Aug 2, 2016
"The Forester... was sung with robust splendor by the great bass Philip Skinner, whose mastery of vocal shading and dramatic nuance never fails to amaze." - SF Chronicle, Jul 31, 2016
"The human presence in the forest is represented by the Forester, beautifully sung by veteran bass Philip Skinner."
- Berkeley Daily Planet, Jul 31, 2016
"Philip Skinner is imposing as Forester - a powerful voice, but even more so, a powerful presence. His role is remarkably acted, and he seems to fill the stage with his dominating gestures." - for all Events, Jul 31, 2016
"Baritone Philip Skinner sang the Forester with warmth and humanity." - The Opera Tattler, Aug 1, 2016
"Bass Philip Skinner was a commanding Forester; older and wiser at the end of the opera, his final monologue sung with touching conviction." - SJ Mercury News, Aug 1, 2016
"Bass-baritone Philip Skinner was a powerful and agile Forester who... delivered the final scene with contemplative grace - and was a delightful, not over-the-top drunk in the inn scene." - SF Classical Voice, Aug 2, 2016
San Diego Opera - Great Scott
"Rosa director Eric Gold was portrayed by mellifluous bass-baritone Philip Skinner, who also played the Ghost of Bazzetti..."
- Opera News, July, 2016
"In two roles - the opera conductor and the ghost of Rosa Dolorosa's composer - bass-baritone Philip Skinner used his powerful voice to connote appropriate gravitas." - San Diego Story, May 8, 2016
"Mellifluous-voiced bass-baritone Philip Skinner was well cast as archetypal maestro Eric Gold and the Ghost of Bazzetti..." - Bachtrack, May 8, 2016
"American Opera's maestro, Eric Gold (excellent bass-baritone Philip Skinner)..." - Opera West, May 8, 2016
"Conductor Eric Gold, sung authoritatively by Philip Skinner..." - Opera Today, May 14, 2016
"Bass-baritone Philip Skinner is a powerhouse as both the aging conductor and opera ghost." - San Diego Union-Tribune, May 8, 2016
"As the Maestro and the Ghost, Philip Skinner offers a rich bass-baritone." - Times of San Diego, May 8, 2016
Townsend and Fresno Opera - Sweeney Todd
"Philip Skinner as Judge Turpin... in a timbering bass-baritone..." - Kings River Life, Mar 5, 2016
"...Philip Skinner's standout Judge Turpin... (Skinner's "Johanna: Mea Culpa"... takes us emotional places that I don't think a non-opera-singer could match)." - The Fresno Bee, Feb 16, 2016
Festival Opera - Savitri
"From Death's opening monologue - delivered with ominous luster by the great bass-baritone Philip Skinner..." - SF Chronicle, Nov 16, 2015
"Bass-baritone Philip Skinner inhabited the role of Death with power and authority." - SJ Mercury News, Nov 15, 2015
West Bay Opera - Rigoletto
"Making an important contribution... is the ever-reliable Philip Skinner, whose powerful bass gives added heft to the dark presence of Sparafucile..." - Palo Alto Weekly, Oct 22, 2015
"Philip Skinner made a wonderfully creepy Sparafucile and exited his first scene with an incredible, droned, low F." - SF Classical Voice, Oct 19, 2015
Livermore Valley Opera - Madama Butterfly
"Philip Skinner, as Pinkerton's compatriot Sharpless, displayed a handsome, resonant voice." - The Independent, Nov 30, 2015
West Edge Opera - Lulu
"Baritone Philip Skinner brought a combination of desire and despair to Dr. Schön and returned as a terrifying Jack the Ripper."
- Financial Times, Jul 27, 2015
"Philip Skinner was a commanding Dr. Schön." - SJ Mercury News, Jul 27, 2015
"Philip Skinner was authoritative and severe as the publishing magnate, Dr. Schön. As the one man who seemed a match for Lulu's powerful attraction, his downfall was no less tragic or human." - Opera News, Jul 25, 2015
"Bass-baritone Philip Skinner remains one of the Bay Area's most reliable operatic treasures in roles both large and small, and he brought robust vocal presence and theatrical force to the role of Lulu's lover and victim Dr. Schön, and again to the part of Jack the Ripper..." - SF Chronicle, Jul 26, 2015
Opera Parallèle - Heart of Darkness
"As Kurtz, Philip Skinner deployed his powerful bass-baritone, imparting gravitas to a character who remained hazy to the end." - San Jose Mercury News, May 2, 2015
"Philip Skinner's haunted, terrifying Kurtz dominated the opera despite the brevity of the role." - SF Classical Voice, May 4, 2015
"Most gripping was Philip Skinner's Kurtz. Set in the bass-baritone's lowest reaches, Kurtz begins singing his first single line "I am glad" as a drone that seems to swell out of the earth... the composition finds its truest and most substantial presence in the mental meanderings of the mad Kurtz..." - Bachtrack, May 2, 2015
"Kurtz himself (the redoubtable bass Philip Skinner) begins to sing in an almost subsonic rumble, which later blossoms into a full-scale tirade - an eloquent musical embodiment of both his personal power and his delusions." - SF Chronicle, May 2, 2015
Composers, Inc. - Middlemarch in Spring
"Philip Skinner's Casaubon was a marvel of robust sound and imposing theatrical presence." - SF Chronicle, Mar 21, 2015
"Philip Skinner gave Rev Casaubon a presence and depth that the original character lacked." - Bachtrack, Mar 22, 2015
"Philip Skinner ... perfectly captured the vanity of Casaubon." - SFist, Mar 22, 2015
Opera Parallèle - Dead Man Walking
“Philip Skinner as the sonorous warden…” - SF Chronicle, Feb 22, 2015
SF Arts Commission - The Lariat
“‘...Franciscan friar (Philip Skinner, in a booming, eloquent performance).” - SF Chronicle, Jan 27, 2015
Livermore Valley Opera - Rigoletto
“Bass Philip Skinner filled out the act as the assassin Sparafucile, his rumbling low notes and lantern jaw equally menacing.” – SF Classical Voice, Sep 27, 2014
“Philip Skinner’s Sparafucile was deliciously sinister, projecting his character’s debaseness with a strong bass.” - The Independent, Oct 3, 2014
West Edge Opera - The End of the Affair
“As Henry, the great bass-baritone Philip Skinner delivered his customary allotment of vocal grandeur and dramatic expressiveness.” - SF Chronicle, Aug 4, 2014
“Philip Skinner deployed his sturdy bass-baritone to touching effect as the betrayed husband, Henry." – SJ Mercury News, Aug 4, 2014
“Equally strong as actors and singers was... the outstanding baritone Philip Skinner as Henry Miles.” – SF Classical Voice, August 3, 2014
Mendocino Music Festival - Don Giovanni
“Philip Skinner was a gloriously imposing-voiced Commendatore and a solid Masetto.” - Pamina’s Opera House, Jul 22, 2014
“…with bass-baritone Philip Skinner doing clear and confident double duty as both Masetto and Il Commendatore.” – SF Classical Voice, Jul 20, 2014
Festival Opera - The Emperor of Atlantis
“…bass-baritone Philip Skinner combined gravitas, sonorous vocalism, and a touching air of tenderness in the role of Death.” - SJ Mercury News, Apr 27, 2014
Livermore Valley Opera - La Cenerentola
“Philip Skinner sings Alidoro... with a robust bass-baritone and a stately continence.” - The Independent, Mar 21, 2014
Santa Rosa Symphony - Mass #10 in C Major (Haydn)
“…Skinner unleashed a window-rattling sound, fully embodying the plaintive text.” – SF Classical Voice, Dec 7, 2013
West Bay Opera - Tosca
“…there is the towering, hulking, delightfully pure evil Scarpia with the mighty, sustained voice of Philip Skinner, and a star turn that would earn ovations in any opera house.” – SF Classical Voice, Oct 13, 2013
“…so extraordinary is the voice and stage presence of Philip Skinner in the role of Scarpia.” - The Almanac, Oc 14, 2013
“Skinner’s powerful and dramatic voice do full justice to Puccini’s powerful and dramatic music.” – Splash Magazine, Oct 12, 2013
West Edge Opera - Vanessa
“Philip Skinner is an excellent performer, and his amusing mannerisms and warmth worked well for the Doctor.” - The Opera Tattler, Sep 24, 2013
“..and bass-baritone Phillip Skinner as the alcoholic Doctor was outstanding in his role…” - SF Classical Voice, Sep 21, 2013
Minnesota Concert Opera - Mini-Ring
“Some performers… breathed interpretive life into their characters, in particular…Philip Skinner as the imposing leader of the gods, Wotan.” - The Examiner, Sep 16, 2013
West Bay Opera / Festival Opera - Otello
“..partnered by the redoubtable bass-baritone Philip Skinner, whose imposing and wonderfully insinuating Iago was only the latest in a long line of great performances here over the years. From the false jollity of the Drinking Song to the thunderous malevolence of the great Credo, Skinner suited his robust vocalism to the theatrical task.” - SF Chronicle, Jul 1, 2013
“Skinner, who emerged first, towered over everyone onstage with his extremely physical, commanding voice and persona. Every aspect of his portrayal, including his sneer as he invariably sang from one side of his mouth or the other, engaging movements, and size and power of his instrument, reflected a career as a major artist who finally made his Metropolitan Opera debut earlier this month.” – SF Classical Voice, May 24, 2013
“Philip Skinner has a physically imposing presence and a bass voice to really chill you” - Splash Magazine, May 24, 2013